


i'm not listenin' when you say goodbye

by gilligankane



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: F/F, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-20
Updated: 2017-07-20
Packaged: 2018-12-04 11:43:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11554494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gilligankane/pseuds/gilligankane
Summary: “He’ll be fine,” Waverly says again. Her voice barely shakes.“Don’t make me promises,” Nicole cries. “Don't promise.”





	i'm not listenin' when you say goodbye

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheGaySmurf](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGaySmurf/gifts).



> From the prompt exercise "Things You Said When..."
> 
> This one is: "Things you said when I was crying" and I took it in a slightly different direction (read: threw out the directions and went the complete opposite way) but I hope ya'll still like it.

“Well, I’d like to thank everyone that came out tonight. Y'all probably have other things you could be doin’ but everyone on the force appreciates you takin’ the night to be with us.” Nedley nervously adjusts the tie around his neck. “I’ve been savin’ this announcement for last because I think it’s the most important one of the night.”

Waverly reaches for Nicole’s hand, squeezing it gently. Nicole gives her a nervous smile, her foot tapping the floor anxiously. She tries to focus on Nedley but every time she looks up, the stage lights are blinding.

“Purgatory is a small place and we don’t get a lot of change.” He snorts. “Shit, we don’t even like change.”

“Swear jar!” someone yells from the back.

“But I think there's one thing we can all agree has changed for the better,” he continues. “And that's this Sheriff’s Department.”

There's a short round of applause. Nicole shifts in her seat as Nedley glances at her. Waverly’s hand slips out of her own and lands on her thigh instead.

“Relax, baby,” Waverly says quietly.

“It's taken a lot of effort and a lot of initiative but Purgatory has _finally_ been taken _off_ the ‘Top Ten Worst Homicides Per Capita’ list.”

The applause this time is louder.

“And while the department as a whole deserves the credit, those of us behind the scenes know that it couldn't have been done without one person in particular.” Nedley glances at her again. “Which is why I have the pleasure of cutting this damn speech short and introducin’ Nicole Haught.”

Wynonna _whoops_ loudly in her ear as she tries to push her chair back from the table and stand up. Waverly’s hand goes back to Nicole’s, sliding up her arm warmly. She finally stands up and adjusts her button down shirt slightly, dusting the knee of dress pant off. She tucks the curling ends of her hair behind her ears and reminds herself to thank Waverly for talking her out of wearing a vest tonight.

She decides not to overthink it, turns, and kisses Waverly soundly.

“Go get ‘em,” Waverly murmurs.

The thundering applause tapers off as she get up on stage next to Nedley. Eventually he pulls the microphone close to his mouth and tells Wynonna to _stuff a sock in it._

“Now most of you know Officer Haught,” Nedley starts. “She's been on the force for ‘bout three years now and she's done a lot for Purgatory. Thanks to Officer Haught, we have better firearm classes, safety plans for all the schools, and a neighborhood watch program that ain’t just the Bingo club feelin’ bored on a Friday night.”

Nicole ducks her head and tries hard not to scuff her toe against the stage. Doc had painstakingly shined her boots for her; “It's the least I can do,” he had said. “This is a big night for you, Officer Haught.”

“It's been a long time since we've been able to fill this spot, but tonight, I'm real proud to promote Officer Haugh to Chief Deputy of the Purgatory Sheriff’s Department.”

This time, Waverly is on her feet, her hands cupped around her mouth as she cheers. She grins widely, smacking Wynonna and pointing at Nicole.

“I'm real proud,” Nedley repeats, softly and just to her.

-  
Nicole thumbs through the pages of the book in front of her, frowning at the different designs. There's flowers and lettering and crosses but nothing is jumping off the page at her. None of them are _right_.

Waverly’s fingers dance along her bare shoulder, twirling a strand of hair and letting it spring loose. “See anything?”

Nicole sighs and lets her hand swing until it finds Waverly’s, tangling their fingers together. She turns her head and presses a kiss to Waverly’s forehead. “Not yet.”

Waverly leans into her side. “You know you don't have to do this, right?”

Wynonna twists around in the chair she's sitting in, her eyes narrowed. “Like hell she doesn't. We made a deal, Haught.”

“I didn't know being your best friend came with tattoos,” Nicole says. “I thought you'd be satisfied with matching friendship bracelets.”

Wynonna smirks. “No you didn't.”

Nicole sighs. “No. I didn’t.”

By the time Wynonna is done, a line of purple vinca blossoms winding over her shoulder blade, Nicole still hasn't decided what to get. She doesn't want any type of flash tattoo and she winces at the ornate crosses Lucky, the artist, keeps pushing her way. Waverly is sitting on one of the chairs, spinning in a lazy circle. She keeps stopping herself by grabbing Nicole’s arm, her hand pressing against the Sheriff’s Department patch on Nicole’s uniform shirt.

She pauses for a moment and then gives Lucky a grin.

An hour later, Lucky shuts off his machine and leans back, cracking his knuckles. He nods decisively. “That's awesome.”

Nicole turns to look at her arm in the mirror. She grins widely. “What do you think, Waves?”

Waverly leans into her, her arm going around Nicole’s waist to look at their reflection in the mirror. She slides the tip of her fingernail around the already swelling skin. Nicole watches her skate around the golden braided rope encircling the Scale of Justice done in simple, straight black lines.

“Definitely… _Haught_ ,” she breathes out.

Nicole grins even wider.

She's got her short sleeve uniform top on later, letting her tattoo breathe and smirking every time Waverly makes no effort to hide that she's checking out Nicole’s arms, when Nedley comes to the the door of his office. She's in the middle of training the new rookie, a guy named Stails - one of her duties as Chief Deputy - but her Nedley-senses tingle and she looks up as he scans the bullpen and sees her. He looks down at the tattoo peeking out from under her sleeve and shakes his head.

Nicole gives him a crooked grin. “You like it, sir?”

Nedley sighs. “It's better than Pine’s. He was intent on showing his off, too. And it was on his ass.”

Nicole spits out of her sandwich and Nedley laughs his way back into his office.

(Much, much later, he comes back and tells her he's never met anyone who embodies the scales of justice as much as she does.

Nicole tells him he's getting too sentimental in his old age, but immediately texts Waverly to tell her what he said.)

-  
By the time Nicole gets on the scene, Nedley has been inside the building for an hour with no outside contact and no proof of life. She skids to a stop, the tires of the Indian Chieftan she ‘borrowed’ from Wynonna burning rubber into the road. She barely registers Waverly’s Jeep peeling into the parking lot half a heartbeat behind her but she feels Wynonna slam into her, wrestling the keys to the motorcycle out of her hand.

“What the _hell_ were you thinking, Haught?” Wynonna growls, her hand twisted in the shoulder of Nicole’s shirt. “That’s my brand new-”

Nicole feels Waverly push between them. “Stop it,” she says. She unwinds Wynonna’s hand from Nicole’s uniform shirt and smoothes her hands down the front of it. “Baby, take a breath.”

Nicole scans the cruisers and SUVs over Waverly’s head.

“Nicole,” Waverly tries.

She spots Officer Pine across the parking lot and starts to pull away from Waverly.

“Nicole,” Waverly says again. “You can’t-”

Nicole gets free and around Waverly, weaving through the crowd. “Tell me what’s going on,” she barks at Pine. He’s leaning on the hood of his cruiser and he startles a little bit, looking up from his phone. Nicole’s eyes narrow as she look down and sees the game ‘Snake’ open. She grabs his phone and throws it through the open cruiser window. “Your _Sheriff_ is in there, Pine. And you’re out here playing a game on your phone?”

Pine shrugs. “I didn’t know what else to do.”

Nicole has to grind her teeth together to stop herself from yelling at him. Instead, she shoulders him out of the way and pulls the radio out of his window, stretching the cord.

“Linda, it’s Haught.”

“About time you showed up, Chief Deputy,” Linda calls back.

“Tell me what’s going on.”

There’s a pause on the radio. Nicole rests her hand on her belt, hooking her thumb between the waistband of her pants and the back of the belt. She frowns and looks down; she missed a loop in her hurry to throw her uniform on.

Fifteen minutes ago, she had been lying on the couch with her feet up and a beer in her hand and Waverly absently braiding the ends of her hair while Wynonna argued with Doc over the rules of poker. And then her phone had gone off and she was throwing her uniform back on, strapping on her gun, and stealing the keys to Wynonna’s brand-new Chieftan.

The radio cackles. “Call came in about an hour ago. Guys in ski masks stormed the gas station. Initial reports say two suspects. Nedley was already inside.”

Nicole curses. “What the hell was he doing here?”

“I assume he was gettin’ gas, Haught,” Linda says flatly.

Nicole sighs and holds the radio to her forehead, taking a moment before she holds down the call button. “Obviously. What are we doing about it?”

Nicole can imagine Linda on the other end of the line, rolling her eyes at the receiver. “You’re the big boss on site now, Haught. What do you want to do?”

She doesn’t get to make a decision. There’s a _pop_ and the glass door of the convenience store shatters. Nicole ducks behind the cruiser, eyes immediately finding Waverly’s through the crowd. She’s crouched down next to Wynonna, shielding them both. Nicole takes a breath; Waverly is fine.

She stands and unholsters the gun on her hip. She steadies herself on the truck on Pine’s car, aiming for the gas station window, trying to figure out what’s going on. She can’t see much of anything and she decides she needs to be closer. She grabs Pine by the shirt and tugs so hard he stumbles.

“I’m goin’ in. Cover me.”

Nicole moves up towards the station one cruiser and SUV at a time. She still can’t see anything but she counts three cars, besides Nedley’s, parked along side of the station so there’s definitely hostages inside - dead or alive, she isn’t sure.

She nearly jumps when she feels someone breathing against her neck.

“Easy, Haughthead,” Wynonna mutters. “Dolls called. He said Jeremy is getting two heat signatures in an upright position and four on the ground. So what's the plan?”

Nicole shakes her head. “I have no idea. The last time there was a hostage situation in this town, you took care of it.”

Wynonna looks past Nicole to the gas station. “These aren't Revenants. These are humans. That's your area.”

Nicole jumps when Waverly sneaks up on the other side of her. “Jesus _Christ_ , Waverly.”

“What's the plan?” Waverly asks.

Wynonna shrugs. “Haughtshot doesn't have one.”

Waverly narrows her eyes at Wynonna. “Give her a second and she’ll come up with one.”

“Would _both_ of you shut up?” Nicole says through gritted teeth. She tries to run through all her options: she can throw her safety - and the safety of the hostages - to the wind and rush in there; she can put a call in and negotiate; she can wait a little and get more surveillance.

She doesn't get to make a decision.

A figure comes tumbling out of the doorframe, landing hard in the shattered glass. Nicole doesn't need to see the jacket to know it's Nedley - he's the only one she knows stupid enough to wrestle an armed assailant to through a broken door and into the parking lot.

Nicole moves to holster her gun when the man in the mask wrestling with Nedley pushes him to the ground, steps back, and fires.

Nedley’ body jerks up and slams back down into the concrete.

A second shot rings out right beside her ear. The suspect falls, blood spraying from his shoulder.

Nicole rushes forward, dropping to her knees and pulling Nedley's head into her lap. “Sir,” she pants. “Where. Tell me where.” She's feeling his chest, ripping open his jacket. She finds the entry wound below his ribcage on the left side. She pulls her uniform shirt out of her pants, tugging at the buttons until they give, balling the shirt up and pressing it to his side to stem the flow of blood.

“You idiot,” Nicole scolds. “Ten seconds. If you could have waited ten seconds, I would have-”

“Haught,” Nedley murmurs.

“No, sir. Don't talk.” She looks over her shoulder,  
scanning the crowd frantically. “Pine!” she shouts. “Get a bus!”

Pine gets on the radio while other officers descend upon the gas station, shouting loudly for the other suspect to put his weapon down.

“Haught,” Nedley tries again.

She looks down sharply. “Stop. An ambulance is coming, sir.”

Nedley groans. “I ain’t riding in one of those things.”

Nicole shifts a little and she panics a little at the sight of blood pooling under her lap.

“Nicole,” Nedley breathes out. “You're gonna be a good sheriff.”

Nicole shakes her head. “With all due respect, sir. Shut up.” She hears sirens in the distance. “Just a little longer, Sheriff. They're almost here.”

Nedley’s face is ghost-white and his lips start to blue slightly. Nicole presses her shirt tighter to his side and wills the ambulance to go faster.

“Hold on,” she whispers. “Hold on.”

The crowd clears as the ambulance pushes through. Nicole looks down at Nedley. “See? They're here.”

He doesn't say anything.

“Sir, they're here.” She shakes him slightly but his eyes are dulled and unfocused. She shakes him again. “Sheriff. Sheriff, they're here.”

Davids and Hines, Purgatory’s only EMTs, skid to a stop next to her, immediately dropping to her side. Davids rips open a bag while Hines starts vitals.

“Gunshot to the left abdomen,” she tells them. She shakes Nedley again. “Nedley, come on.”

A set of hands push her to the side, checking for a pulse. She notices when they stall and she starts to panic.

“What? What is it?”

“Chief Deputy,” Hines starts. “We need to get him onto the gurney. I need you to back up, okay?”

Nicole’s grip instantly tightens. She shakes Nedley again. “No. No, sir. Come on. Come on, don't do this.”

A different set of hands grab at her shoulders. “Haught, come on,” Wynonna says softly.

Nicole shakes Wynonna off and grabs Nedley by the front of his jacket, pulling him further off the ground. “Sir,” she says, her voice breaking. “ _Come_ _on_.”

A more familiar pair of hands grip her elbows and slide down her forearms until they're directly over her hands. They peel her fingers from Nedley's jacket slowly, replacing the fabric with fingers. Nicole looks up but Waverly’s face is blurred by tears she didn't know she was crying.

“Baby, let them work,” Waverly says softly.

Nicole sits back on her knees and Davids fills the space between her and Nedley quickly, ripping open his shirt, soaked with blood, and then cutting through his undershirt. Nicole can feel Waverly’s hands on her shoulders, grounding her.

Davids starts compressions while Hines starts the defibrillator, placing the pads on Nedley’s chest.

“Charge!” Davids shouts, hands in the air.

Nedley’s body convulses. Hines leans in and checks, then charges the defibrillator again. Nedley’s body shakes again, lifting off the ground violently. Hines puts two fingers to his neck and swears.

“Get him in the bus,” he tells Davids.

Nicole scrambles to her feet, her pants soaked through with blood. She tries to reach for Nedley again but Waverly’s arms are in the way. They wind around her waist and pull her back one step for every two she tries to take forward.

“Let me,” she sputters. “Let me go.”

Waverly holds on tight. “No, stop. _Stop_. We’ll meet them at the hospital.”

Nicole tries to twist out of her grasp but Waverly tightens her grip even more.

“No, baby. Stay with me.” Waverly's voice is calm and quiet. “Baby, please.”

The fight leaves Nicole’s body as Davids and Hines close the doors to the ambulance, peeling out of the parking lot with their lights flashing. The hands around her waist loosen but move her forward, towards Waverly’s Jeep. Wynonna is already in the driver’s seat, the car running. She barely waits for Waverly to get in before she’s speeding out of the parking lot after the ambulance.

  
-  
Two hours into surgery, Waverly finally convinces Nicole to change out of her blood-soaked clothes and into a pair of scrubs one of the nurses left behind. Nicole barely feels Waverly’s hands against her skin as she peels her uniform shirt off. She steps out of her pants and then throws them in the biohazard bag in the bathroom.

“Chrissy is still a few hours out,” Waverly says.

Her voice startles Nicole. It echos so loudly in the empty bathroom that Nicole winces at first. Waverly slides a soft hand down Nicole’s spine in apology.

“She needs to drive faster,” Nicole says, her voice hoarse.

Waverly lifts onto her toes to press a kiss to Nicole's shoulder. “He’ll be fine.”

Nicole’a resolve cracks. Her eyes burn and then well instantly, fat, hot tears streaming down her face. Waverly grabs her as she falls to the ground and they land awkward and heavy. She sobs into Waverly’s neck, her hands scrambling for some type of grip around Waverly's back.

“He’ll be fine,” Waverly says again. Her voice barely shakes.

“Don’t make me promises,” Nicole cries. “Don't promise.”

Waverly twists and scoots until her back is against the bathroom wall and Nicole is sitting between her legs, her mouth at Waverly’s collarbone, her eyes and cheeks wet and soaking through Waverly’s shirt.

“I promise you,” Waverly says quietly, her voice even. “He’ll be fine.”

“They shot him.”

“He's a mule.”

“Waverly,” Nicole coughs.

Waverly shrugs unapologetically. “He is. He’d survive a nuclear attack just by being grumpy.”

Nicole hiccups a little as she snorts. “He's not that grumpy.”

“With you, maybe. You're his favorite. Even Chrissy thinks so.”

Nicole shakes her head, pressing her body closer to Waverly’s. “Now that's just a lie.”

She feels Waverly’s laugh more than she hears it. “It's not. She told me that the last time the Flames were on, he didn't even call her. He was too busy watching the game with _you_.”

Nicole’s body starts to calm down a little, her breathing coming easier. She can feels Waverly’s hands in her hair now, weaving strands over and over. “He’ll be okay,” she whispers.

“Yes,” Waverly promises.

“Okay,” Nicole breathes out. “Okay.”

  
-  
“They took my jacket,” Nedley huffs when Nicole slides into his recovery room hours later. “And they cut my shirt in half and-”

“They saved your life,” Nicole finishes.

Nedley glares at her. “So you're on their side.”

Nicole shrugs. “I'm on whatever side is the one saving your life,” she admits.

Nedley’s eyes go soft before he scoffs and looks at the TV on the opposite wall, an old Flames game on. “Yeah, well,” he says.

Nicole leans back in her seat and watches the game quietly.

When the period ends, Nedley shifts uncomfortably and Nicole gets up to fluff the pillow behind him. She goes to move away but he catches her by the wrist.

“I meant what I said, Nicole. You're gonna make a great Sheriff.”

Nicole shrugs and pats him awkwardly on the shoulder. “Sure, sir.”

“Take the compliment, Haught.”

Nicole pauses for a moment before she nods slowly. “Okay.”

Nedley nods back at her. “Good.”

They stare at each other for a long moment and Nicole opens her mouth to say something when the door bangs open and Chrissy pushes in, Wynonna and Waverly on her heels.

She turns back to them and puts her hands on her hips. “I told you.”

Wynonna grins widely. “Not used to be being the second-rate daughter? I can give you pointers,” she offers.

Waverly swats at Wynonna but keeps moving towards Nicole, lacing their finger together. Nicole kisses the top of Waverly’s head.

“Wynonna, leave the damn bed alone,” Nedley mutters as he starts to lift up.

Chrissy steals it just to keep him lifting upward.

“See? I promised,” Waverly whispers into her cheek.

Nicole grins. “Yeah. You did.”


End file.
